The Day Our Bench Was Lonely
by gucci-milk
Summary: As one would have expected, coming of age isn't quite easy when you're a Yato. Kagura goes to an Alien Hunter school and Okita longs at the sky. Slow burn.
1. Chapter 1

**hi **

**i am the milk**

**enjoy the drink**

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**The Day Our Bench Was Lonely**

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_#Aboard_AMC003_CRIMSON_

_##Log_00_Kagura_

Space's lonelier than Kagura thought it would be.

Sitting on the window ledge she stares at the infinite universe sparkling with planets and stars passing through ever-so-slowly. The ship's silent since she's the only crew here, though there's the main computer humming quietly in the background as it calculates the trajectories and energy management for her. Umibozu bought the ship on her fifteenth birthday, something about her being old enough to start her career as an alien hunter. He told her about an academia opened by the association two years ago, stationing some galaxies away and welcoming every species so long they are strong and motivated enough. Obviously, it's a huge opportunity for her and even if she loves the Earth she needs to move on and become stronger, everyone's becoming an adult and she can't get stuck being a kid.

Even the meek Shinpachi's growing up, he's become a lot stronger than before and as of late he even teaches the neighbour kids at the dojo on how to wield the sword. He trains hard every day with Gin-chan and fights a lot more during their nonsensical Yorozuya job, he's no longer the weak big brother she used to protect.

Gintoki grows too, though differently, he's much more like a grandpa and she kind of expect diabetes to hit him soon but besides training with Shinpachi he doesn't participate as much during battles as before and it's as if he's passing his soul to Shinpachi instead and she knows; it's because he's all too tired to continue being a warrior when he's a useless, sugar-addicted earth dad.

And then there's the other idiot too, acting all cool because he's just so close to becoming a vice chief like he always wanted to be. It's not for _right _now but Kagura's been told the gorilla will eventually retire— maybe to marry Anego— and that means Toshi will be the chief and the Sadist the vice-chief. Kagura thinks Edo's doomed if someone like him gets such a high rank within the police force.

And then there's her walking behind all of them, there's nothing for her to do on Earth. In Edo she's a Yato and besides destroying the park with the Sadist she doesn't know what to do, she's only good at fighting, breaking things so when Umibozu comes with a flashy, new model of spaceship she doesn't think much more and jumps in.

This brings her here. It's been two days since she entered the ship for the first time and she spends her time eating, napping and maybe study a bit. She will arrive at the school in a week, it's her first time going to one and it makes her as much excited as she's anxious. How are people there? Are they mean like back in Rakuyou? She bites her lips, her throat feels sour just by imagining those eyes._ Monster_, they call her.

"Daily analyse report available," the computer warns in its female though robotic voice.

Kagura gets up and sits down at the helm; there's a wide window panel allowing her to see what's in front of her and a giant screen floating. She leans down and reaches for the floating sphere, glowing slightly blue and immediately, as the computer identifies her fingerprint the report shows up on the screen.

_**Status: normal**_

_**Temperature: 22°C | 28°C Solar Room | 0°C Cryo Room**_

_**...**_

_**...**_

Her eyes wander on the table before she finds what she needs; the manual of the ship with Umibouzu's notes. He wanted to come along and teach her himself how to pilot the ship but Kagura refused; she wants to do everything by herself and there's always the emergency call if something goes wrong. It's not that hard since everything's almost automatic— though she needs to learn how to do manual piloting as well, in case the computer fails to calculate and when big rocks decide to fly towards you. Each note left by Umibozu are clear and concise, she compares the data of the computer with his and everything's in the normal. She's not going to die from lack of oxygen anytime soon.

The daily routine now done Kagura moves onto the messages, ancient ships have lags between when the message's sent and when it's received but her's all new and very expensive if it's messages she'd receive them in a day. Other media such as audio or videos can take a lot more time, though.

_**=====START_OF_TRANSMISSION=====**_

_**Sender: Umibouzu**_

_**Object: How are you? 3**_

_**Kagura, it's your beloved Father **_(she wants to throw up)!

_**How are you doing? Do the daily report well, it's important. I'm sending you files for exercises and a mail from the Association's school, there should be materials you need to study. Don't forget to take care of the Solar Room too.**_

_**Dad loves you!**_

_**Attached files (4): exercises_ , welcome_to_the_ , universae_lesson_ , universae_wb_ **_

_**=====END_OF_TRANSM'sSION=====**_

In a flick of a finger the control sphere opens another window— this time; however, allows the holographic keyboard to materialize. It's a thin, very thin layer of blue light and she's still amazed by the hard, cold touch of it. Her fingers slide between the keys as she starts answering Umibouzu's message with a rather humble one-liner, "thank you". It's not like she can write letters. She doesn't know nearly enough _kanjis _for that.

Once she's done with replying Kagura downloads and checks out the files. They must be pre-requisite for the students who should be, like her, travelling in space until they reach the station. From her father's talk, it seems like the Association's station's very big and the space left for the students are new and renovated, as the school program's recent. It's a hard cursus with interuniversal students, which leads to the official language used by the school.

The _versa_'s created and used by the Association only, both written and talked it helps the communication between all the different species. Her ship's core software's in japanese for now but soon she will have to update and install the versa language instead; all her textbooks and homework will be in versa and it's going to be expected of her to talk fluently the versa by the end of the year. It's a shame since she wants to learn the japanese first, she could finally read the JUMP without the help of Gin, then.

Kagura decides to do what's the easiest for her first: read the welcome file of her future school, carefully translated by her father.

"Welcome to the Association," it reads in a bright and bold red font. The first part's rather boring, passing over the history and origin of the Association, the school. There are pictures of the classrooms which are spacious and very modern, in white and minty shades, of the training areas… They're things Kagura'd rather discover with her own eyes rather than through pictures.

_**SCHEDULE:**_

_**\- 8:00 Presentation**_

_**\- 10:00 Uniforms hand-out**_

_**\- 14:00 Test**_

_**\- 18:00 Cadets Classes**_

Her right brow cocks, nobody told her that there's going to be a test in the first day. And what the hell are cadets classes? She skims through the file, her eyes landing on a chart. Each term ends with examinations on the subjects as well as the simulation of a mission, the latter being more important. The examination leads to a grade which would determine your class; a class's a group of students of the same level, they will live in the same dormitory and possess the same privileges. This brings her remaining brow to raise too, she's not really used to all that hierarchy others love so much. The Sadist tried to explain once but she never understood the point.

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**F  
****Rank 500-450 ****F Dormitory (4 bunk beds per room) ****F-Grade Menu ****250 points/month ****Additional trainings and classes ****  
**

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**D**

**Rank 449-350 ****C/D Dormitory (2 Bunk beds per room) ****D-Grade Menu ****500 points/month ****Additional trainings and classes ****  
**

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**C**

**Rank 249-150 ****C/D Dormitory (2 Bunk beds per room) ****C-Grade Menu ****650 points/month ****Additional trainings and classes ****  
**

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**B**

**Rank 149-50 ****A/B Dormitory (2 beds per room) ****B-Grade Menu ****750 points/month ****Optional trainings and classes ****  
**

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**A**

**Rank ****49-11 ****A/B Dormitory (2 beds per room) ****A-Grade Menu ****850 points/month ****Optional trainings and classes**

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**S**

**Rank | 10-1 ****Private Room ****S-Grade Menu ****1000 points/month ****Special Classes**

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_Food_.

If there's food as a prize it's only a matter of course that she wins through the S rank solely for it, the benefits all look nice too. She wonders if it's easy to reach the top ten, being a Yato and the daughter of Umibouzu and Kouka she's only fated to be amongst the best. No, even being part of one of the three warrior race's big enough of an advantage in this kind of career. The stronger they are, the better it is, such is the rule of the Association— revolving around fighting, and for the first time she realises it's revolving around people like her.

People who are ridiculously strong. People from bloodthirsty races who have to choose between either the path of destruction or salvation, with nothing in-between and for the first time people like her are not cursed as monsters but instead sung as heroes. It's a whole different world from the Earth, even though she's met her most important people there as well as the kindest, it's now in a climate where Amantos are seen as threats and enemies from the previous war against Utsuro.

Within the Association fighting abilities are praised, glorified above all, and many Yatos have gone through this path like her father, or chooses the opposite side in the Harusame like her brother.

It's now time for her, Kagura, to trace her own path and though she only has vague ideas about her future very soon she will have to choose and act upon it; the Association's here to help her. Umibouzu used to tell her so; people like them have power. She; however, doesn't understand what's more about them than being about to kill people easier than others.

"If only Gin-chan was there," she mutters with a bitter tone, "I'm sure he knows. They all know, anyway, besides me."

Kagura glances at the endless darkness through the glass, she's promised everyone she's going to come back stronger but she doesn't know how and she's scared. They say that around fifteen the people from their race are becoming adults and are the most unstable, they are neither kids nor adults but something _else_ that's far scarier.

She closes her eyes. The humming of the computer, the emptiness of space disappears slowly and are replaced by the drumming of rain, the cold and wet floor from her old house. The loneliness of that house, once so warm despite the rain, despite the cracks and everything in the world. She's filled with the memories of the laughs, the cries left on that lonely planet. And then—

— the surge of pain, the anger, the sadness, the incomprehension. There's the smell of sickness, the sour taste of wait and longing, the pang of pain and the burst of anger. Her house, the old house of her memories shattered, the delicious rice, the embrace of a mother, the warmth of a family; nothing's left but utter hate. She remembers every second of it as if living that day again the rain's pounding against the street when she runs out, her mother's dying, her brother and father are fighting to death.

Finally, she stops them but her Father's too hurt to even look at her, and her brother— fifteen at the time, doesn't look back at her either and leaves like all the remains of their old house. The family they've once been's now nothing but a shell of what it used to be; a joke. The bonds now stranded there's now nothing left to keep them together, so they leave all by one and she's here, behind and she doesn't understand anything.

A _joke_.

That must've been what she is, back then and now still.


	2. Chapter 2

**i am the milk**

**enjoy the drink**

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**chapter ii - penpals in space**

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There aren't many things Sougo find unsettling. After all, his boss and foster father is known as both a gorilla and an insufferable stalker while also leading the police force. That being said, Hijikata is more of a leader than Kondo—at least when it comes to the technical aspect of leading and being the pain-in-the-ass man of Gintama he excels at his job. _For now_. There's no telling when one of his assassination attempts will succeed and when the rise of Kaiser Okita Sougo de Sade II will finally happen.

Okita Sougo is a disturbed individual who is rarely surprised or startled, even when his boss comes in naked and marries a gorilla princess from outer-space, or when Hijikata-san slides away to a dark corridor sniffing mayonnaise like a cat on drugs. As a matter of fact, he's barely moved when he finds after a rather rowdy and drunken night, Kondo, the boss and a cardboard hobo together in a bed that's probably stained with suspicious night activity.

Yet it seems like his mind cannot help but notice how a certain red-haired brat hasn't shown up at their little destructive rendezvous. He doesn't really care at first. There are times where the Yorozuya somehow find a job and she's gone for a couple of days—often less since the Shinsengumi and the Yorozuya tend to meet in a twist of fate, making the trio as much as allies as they are foes to them. For the same reason, he and China forged a bond that is neither friendship nor hateful but something in-between. They hold a healthy rivalry wherein both can unleash their potential, get loose without consequences—besides the traumatised civilians and destroyed buildings—and waking up all the muscles and nerves of the body. Consequently, his body's been more than dull these weeks because she doesn't show up anywhere.

Whether it's the park, Gran's candy shop or Kabuki-Cho that girl is nowhere to be found, even though he catches sight of the boss and Shinpachi-kun wandering around. He wonders if she's avoiding him, despite finding the idea absolutely aberrant since that person wouldn't ever run away from him: if he ever goes in the wrong path she'd dash at him in a furious battle cry.

For the whole week, he waits patiently. That girl _does _have a complex family so perhaps a redeemed-terrorist brother or an overprotective father swooped in.

They share a pact of privacy, not that they talked or decided it. It happens that she doesn't ask him anything and he doesn't, either. Okita does not understand what she thinks about it but he's bad at chatting, much less with a female for he comes from a poor, rural region like Bushu. But he's a great swordsman, and much more agile with his sword than his words. It's not that they hate each other but there's simply no need for useless blabbering.

Or so he thinks. Until now. He's truly puzzled by how far a brat like her could go to. In the middle of his thought, Okita is brought back by the familiar, deadpan-toned ringing of the phone nested in his pocket.

**_I have a Hijikata~ I have a tabasco~ Die Hijikata, Hijikata die~_**

With a sudden slowness, Okita catches the call and lie through his teeth, "Hijikata-san you shouldn't bother an upright policeman like me, I'm patrolling and this is an important duty for the citizens. But the trash's duty is to die, so die Hijikata-san."

Hijikata's voice comes through tired by his antics. "What upright policeman?! I'm sure you're somewhere skipping patrols again."

Children's laugh in the background and sat on his favourite bench under the comfortable shade of a tree, Sougo deadpans yet again. "I don't know what you mean."

Hijikata coughs, "anyway the princess and the Yorozuya are at the terminal. They want to go to the emergency transmission room and you have the keys, right? I don't care about the perm idiot but don't make the princess wait too much."

"Alright." He cuts the call and yawns. So much for slinking away of the patrols and going through suspect alleyways, nobody knows better than him. At the very least the Terminal isn't too far, Okita comforts himself with the idea that he'll reach the massive, monolith building in less than fifteen minutes if he doesn't get accidentally murdered like that _one _time.

And as planned, Okita arrives in less than fifteen minutes at the Terminal where he's welcomed by the princess and the boss though the latter looked like he just survived a near-death experiment.

"Thank you for being so fast Okita-san," the princess nods at him and smile. "I want to communicate with a ship in space so I need our best antenna, it's important to me."

Wordlessly, Okita guides them through the intricate hallways of the Terminal until they reach the inner core where the Altana flow the strongest. As they reach further in the giant building the doors become more and more secure and ending with shuttle doors that lock soundly behind them, though they're usually found on space ships to airlock.

"This is the emergency transmission room," Okita says as he passes the key—a card and enters the clean and neat room. As the name suggests, the transmission room is small and have one computer as well as some chairs laying around in a nearly all-white room that reminds him too much of a hospital. He switches on the computer in a flick of the finger and the panel brightens up. "Do you have the ID of the ship, princess?"

"Use this Sofa-kun," Gintoki scurries through her kimono and proffers him with a messy piece of paper that Okita can barely read, as the notes are obviously scrambled hurriedly.

Taking a minute or two deciphering Okita finally starts typing on the computer.

**_=====TRANSMISSION_REQUEST=====_**

**_MAS_CRIMSON_**

**_LOG_ik1151_**

**_=====REQUEST_END=====_**

**_..._**

**_..._**

**_Awaiting confirmation from MAS_CRIMSON_**

**_…_**

"What are you doing here, boss?" Okita slouches down onto the chair and yawns yet again, though the perm should probably be doing the yawning instead of him. His eyes are almost red from lack of sleep, not to talk about the big dark circles beneath them and the yellow, sickly tone of his skin. Okita has never seen Gintoki in this state.

"Using this too," Gintoki points the machine, "I asked Tama but apparently Gengai didn't put any antennas that connect to outer-space. That old man had _one_ job."

"Why need that though?" He looks up the computer, the request is confirmed, "if you're smuggling some illegal _SpaceBay_ goods I'll need to arrest you, boss."

"Doesn't Okita-san know?" Soyo interrupts with a surprised face, hand over the mouth and all. "Kagura-chan, she has gone to space."

Gintoki cocks an eyebrow as well, "that brat went off quickly and didn't really prepare anyone for this, not even her dear _Gin-san_ so I guess Souichiro-kun you weren't spared either."

"...Space?"

"Yeah. _Space_." Gintoki rolls his eye, "she said she wanted to go to a school and become an alien hunter like the baldy. It was his idea, anyway."

"But fortunately Kagura-chan gave us her ship's ID and maybe her school's station too. She said it'd be like sending letters. Maybe you should give it a try as well Okita-san, I'm sure Kagura-chan wants to hear from you too!"

Sougo is tempted at first but his throat dries up, his stomach knots and he refuses. "I don't really care if that brat is in space," he lies through his teeth but it soothes his pride. It's amazing how he even bothered to tell her his farewell and she decides to skip right through it in return, not even bothering to get someone to warn him while he's scurrying the town like an idiot. Intense need for killing Hijikata suddenly surges through his mind, wanting desperately to release his anger. The irritation almost makes it to his face and he barely manages to hide his feelings before Gintoki starts grinning at him.

"Soda-kun—"

"It's Sougo."

Gintoki brushes it off in a dismissal wave, "all the same, all the same. Kagura's next break is going to be in two months, you know? It's fine if you want to _chat_ with her."

_Two months_.

"I'm fine boss, she and I can always have a match after that. I can't say it's that easy for you though, you look like you haven't slept since she left."

_And it's probably what happened. _

Before Gintoki can retort the computer beeps in loudly, followed by white lines of codes scrolling through.

**_=====START_TRANSMISSION=====_**

**_LOG_ik1151 ... Encryption..._**

**_User_Kagura added to data..._**

**_..._**

**_..._**

**_Transferring messages (3)..._**

**_..._**

**_..._**

_**Transfer: ok, awaiting commands..**._

Two messages pop up on the panel: one for the princess and the other for the boss, they seem to be long and including few other friends or family—saving up on the number of messages she sent. That's almost too smart from her, considering her usually brash and reckless behaviour. And then, a third message pops up.

**_From: Kagura_**

**_To: Idiot_**

**_Subject: I'm in space, loser_**

**_[Message Encrypted]_**

It's for him. He's almost sure of it and it should make him angry that he identifies himself to an idiot but then again that's exactly the kind of things she'd pull off. Of course, she would, that's just how she is and it's infuriating that even for a fraction of seconds he felt _hurt_. Indeed, he has been fooled, because there's no way he's ever gonna be so mushy mushy with her, they simply aren't like that.

Okita let a grin distorts his face, he wants to reply and curse her right now and then.

"I thought you weren't interested, Solar-kun." Gintoki sounds too victorious for his taste.

"I'm not going to answer," his grin fades back to his usual poker face. "I have too much duties to play the pen pal of a brat."

"Hah," Gintoki scoffs and raise his arms for more dramatic effect. "That's new from you Soda-kun, if Shinpachi's a virgin you are virgin from any work."

"Right back at you, boss." Okita rolls his chair away from the screen and stretches, "anyway princess you can use the computer, you should be able to read and answer her now."

While Soyo excitedly takes a seat in front of the computer and starts to furiously type on the keyboard Okita rummaged his pocket again for his phone. The model is black and printed with the golden pattern of their uniform and looks below-average, whereas the average citizen possesses a slim smartphone the Shinsengumi's is rather bulky. It has to survive their activity, to the weather and should they throw it their phone have probably more chance knocking someone cold and very much _dead_ but that's not all. With the human's genius and Amanto technology they could create a slim and solid phone but what they have is much more.

_**\- Wifi**_

_**\- Network**_

Okita selects the latter and the name of the antenna— a series of number— shows up.

Unlike any ordinary citizen, the captains of the Shinsengumi have access to all the antennas of the Terminal, the antennas were of course powerful enough to be reachable anywhere from Japan as long as they have a computer to connect with.

Simply put, that computer was built small enough to fit in their pocket— in the form of a phone.

He opens the message, decrypting in the background and waiting patiently for each letter to start forming on his screen. On the other hand, the princess is giggling and without a doubt pleased by the surprisingly detailed message she received and after a series of furious assault on the keyboard she leaves her seat for Gintoki.

Silence washes over the room.

Ten miserable lines that are barely sufficient for the silver perm.

"Is that really all she has to say?" Gintoki's voice drops down at near a subzero temperature and messes his hair in sheer frustration. "'Gin-chan I have a real room now'? I scrambled off all my pachinko money to pay for her food!"

"But I think Kagura-chan is doing her best." Soyo pipped in, her finger gently traced the screens, _kanji_ by _kanji_, "your message doesn't have a lot of errors. The one she sent me is full of them, but I'm her best friend so it's ok. She probably wants you to be proud of her, Sakata-san."

Gintoki suddenly falls in a silence that Okita interprets as one desperate attempt at _not_ tearing up in front of a princess and a rather sadistic policeman. All is well for the two of them, and they seem to be satisfied with the messages China sent but he, unfortunately, cannot say the same.

Okita stares blankly at the meagre, a mere three characters worth one-liner that is plenty enough to fill his body with confusion and anger, his irritation howling the deep of his heart in the form of soon-to-explode veins.

**_LOL_**

_That brat_. He nearly crushes his precious, millions-of-yens-worth phone into thousand pieces as a wave of disappointment settles in his stomach. He doesn't know what he expected yet he's still angered by all the carelessness transpiring from the message yet a part of him knows it's just the way she is.


	3. Chapter 3

**i am the milk, enjoy the drink**

** Brstar: The milk thanks you for your review. Don't worry about English, it is not the milk's first language as well. Your thorough review motivates the milk. **

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**Chapter iii: cadets of the sky (1)**

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Metallic branches spread into the darkness of the universe and shadowing the stars and moons the station orbits around. The skyscrapers overwhelm its small world and stretch to the glass dome like dark, looming monsters in the constant night Kagura plunged herself and reminding her of the Yoshiwara before they released it from Housen's grasp with its neon billboards and blinking signs. Each building looks like the _Terminal_ from Edo, monolithic, slick in its modern design and unbearably cold yet she feels a strange fascination for this city-like landscape.

From the docks Kagura can make out the mirage of a white tower at the centre of the city, glowing and seeming so out of place, though she's quickly brought back by the noise of other ships landing. Hers stands afloat next to her, shining with its red and white paint with the black lettering of "Crimson" plastered on both sides and that's all hers. _Her ship_. She realises all the novelty of it all and the station that looks so dark and cold is a new chapter of her life, a path full of discovery and adventure. The notion of school rolls out so foreign to her tongue yet so familiar, there are so many _mangas_ taking place in schools and each of her friends went to one— even Gin-chan.

Eager, Kagura strides to one of the orange machines scattered in the docks and scans a key-pass she received first-hand from Umibozu. Immediately after she steps out of the parking place the lines drawn on the floor illuminates and a wall of blue light locks the ship in while she makes her way to the inner-station, observing her surrounding. The docks are surprising silent despite all the ships entering and exiting though Kagura doesn't feel like the silence is _real_, her sensitive ears catch what seems to be a filter cancelling all the noises yet nobody seems to mind. The docks are filled with people from different species busying themselves with parking or fuelling their ships. Kagura also notices orange-overalls running around, carrying a strange cube with them though she doesn't understand who they are nor what purpose do they serve.

A blue-skinned man greets her with a smile she returns; however, he suddenly starts mouthing something to her even though she can only make out muffled words, barely resembling any language she knows. At the sight of her incomprehension, the man with gold speckled on his face seems to have an illumination and startles Kagura as he clips something on her right ear.

A voice echoes in her head.

"Welcome to MISS-00," a gentle, soothing voice resonates in her brain. It's a strange feeling, it's as if he's a voice she uses to think but it's not; he's talking to her mind. "I suppose you're new here but we use the _klip_ to communicate, especially in the docks or between the spheres. Here, hand me your key-pass, I'm called Aven."

"I'm Kagura," her own voice nearly surprises herself, it's much louder than usual in her mind.

"Ah, a new student I see. Please, this way," Aven invites to step on an iron plate then smiles once again. "Very well, we may proceed Kagura. You see, MISS is organised into different spheres and the docks are the closest to the outside."

"Why can't I hear anything there?"

"The docks are too loud for some of the species so we cut the noise. Well, each sphere is cut from each other too, you will need the _klips _if you want to communicate with someone in another sphere than you. Try to use your key-pass here," they stop before a light barrier— the same kind of lock used to park her ship— where a silver shuttle door stood. Kagura swipes her pass once again, the door opened neatly. "Good, your key-pass is functional."

"Where are we going?" Kagura demands, in-awe as they proceed into the second sphere. The skyscrapers she saw from afar looked even more gigantic from close-up, pulled to the infinite night sky of space.

"We're going to the inner core of the is the Resting Sphere," Aven explains and pinpoints to the blinking purple neon of each floor. Unexpectedly, what seemed to be looming and menacing buildings are, instead, stores brightened up by colourful lights. Each building is like a painting, orange, green and deep blue stains lights ornamenting the black buildings. "Here we have hotels, restaurants and relaxing activities like SPAs to welcome our members coming back or visitors from long travels. Do you see the yellow light at the corner? This is our bank to exchange currency, bring your key-pass everywhere because we only use points at the station."

With a stifled screech a curved stop by them and once inside Kagura notices it's pilotless though she's not surprised anymore by this point. Gintoki used to tell her the Earth used to be much, much less advanced before the Amanto invaded them and even though they weren't catching up on alien civilisations anytime soon, not without a stronger government. And here she is now, surrounded by the latest alien technology and everything look just so... different.

Aven takes his time detailing the different colours of the light, something about orange for restaurants but all she cannot sink more information in her head right now; she just admires the streak rays of light, the subtle, faint drum rhyming the streets which her heart thumps in harmony with. She feels excited at the sight of the city, of all the unknown and the possibility of discovering them with friends. _Classmates_.

"Kagura we're at the Town now. This is our largest and most frequented sphere on MISS."

"The town? Isn't the whole thing a city?" She asks, having noticed the lights were now cyan, pink and purple.

"You can see it this way but here we have all the activities of a city, from stores to cafés and nightlife... It's especially popular with students like yourself. Each building here is like a shopping mall, but you can find parks, pools and such. We try to imitate planets, being on a space station can be a very isolating experience."

Kagura nods in agreement: the week she spent in her _Crimson _was awful, though not necessarily boring she was lonely, with no one to talk to, no masses to watch swarming the street and littering them with lively chatters.

"Do you see the white tower there? This is where the school is. It's impressive, isn't?"

"Just the school?" She stared at the almost graceful structure rising from the ground, the closer she got to it the sturdier it became. It's unlike anything else she saw so far.

"You see how it's wider at the bottom? This is the school, then if you go up it's all made of glasses right? This is the dormitory for students, you will get an amazing sight of the station from there and your parents won't have to worry. The Tower is the safest building of the station," Kagura thinks Aven looks even more excited than her. His eyes twinkle unmistakably and the man radiates an aura of happiness, though she may be influenced by the way his face is covered in sparkles and drawing patterns she cannot recognise. "You know, my son starts at school too and I'm a bit worried even though I've worked there for such a long time. I've told him so many stories of the stations, of heroes that he wants to become one as well."

"I don't think my family is worried," Kagura whispers absentmindedly, "they know I'm strong."

"Ah, right. It depends on where you come from, of course! My apologies, I tend to forget that there are warrior species who would encourage their child into these kinds of careers. It's rare on my planet, it's dangerous and we hide better than we fight, I trust my son but I can't shake off the doubt easily. Well, enough of me Miss, where do you come from?"

_Where do you come from?_

Kagura could say she's a Yato, born on the sad planet that was Rakuyou and that her father is the Association's strongest man, that her brother is a known as the lightning spear of the Harusame or her mother had once been Kouan's immortal. It sounds impressive, adequate to the situation yet it sounds _wrong_. She's got muddled just in a week of space travelling but now, her feet once again resting against solid Kagura knows what she is.

"My home is Earth aru—"

She smiles like an idiot. Her face is almost uncomfortable from the stretch, she hasn't really smiled a lot as of late, becoming only the shadow of what she was. She doesn't pretend to know who she's going to be, or how much she will change but as of now she's Kagura from the Yorozuya.

"—I'm the daughter of a strong _samurai_, yes?"

* * *

Aven and Kagura parts ways upon reaching the innermost sphere. It is with great excitement Kagura steps inside, following the few other students into the immaculate tower which surprisingly looks... normal. She expected that everything would be neatly curved, cold white with very little touch of colour like her spaceship but instead, it's a beautiful building with some wooden design and a lot of plants. Her eyes almost hurt from the sudden vividness, from interior design as well as the diversity. Kagura's pretty sure she just saw a Hata look-a-alike amongst the mass.

Huddled, Kagura cannot help but bump into something or rather, someone.

"Are you fine?" A voice Kagura can only describe as androgynous echoes once again in her mind as a hand helps her getting up. "I'm sorry, you're so small I didn't see you."

"It's ok," she replies and gasps. The person who just helped her is even taller than Toshi, standing like an immense statue though not quite bulky. Kagura wonders how many aliens she could kick with one leg— it must be an impressive feat.

"Are you a first year too?" She asks, slowing down her pace to catch up Kagura's. "I'm called Saida, what about you?"

"I'm Kagura," Kagura reaches for Saida's hand and shakes it gently. "Yeah, I am. Do you know where we have to go?"

"They hold the welcoming ceremony in the training area. I think we can get by if we follow them. Where do you come from, by the way? Are you a human? Are all of you so tiny?"

Kagura cannot help but become curious as well; what does Saida eat to grow nearly two heads taller than herself? She looks most definitely like someone from a hunter or warrior race, with great legs that could knock out and sprints quickly away. Saida's ears are also strange, more elongated. If anything, she looks like one of those elves she saw in the JUMP but much, much taller.

"I'm a Yato. I'm not tall but I'm sure I can eat more than you!"

"Ah, so you're from one of the warrior clan." Saida quiets down and scans her as if not believing such a tiny body could be from the infamous, blood-thirsty Yato clan though her family is an exception. Yato men, in particular, tend to grow into a meaner, more threatening form while both she and Kamui could mix with the average easily. And they're from one of the strongest Yato family.

Saida laughs sheepishly, "I'm half-Shinran, half-Tarris. I'm not half-warrior though, I've got the best of both worlds."

Kagura decides she likes Saida's confidence.

"Let's team up for the cadets' test, you know I'm pretty fast and you must be strong right? That already makes two more advantages than the others."

Kagura nods, "how do you know we're going to be tested in teams?"

"It's always like that here," Saida shrugs off and points to a large room brimming with the crowd. "Look, everyone is judging each other. I heard people you end up in the test becomes your final team for the whole year."

Saida manages to rush in through her stature, which also leaves just enough space for Kagura to trail after her and discover a gigantic room with nothing but white walls and floor. She couldn't even make out where the walls ended, but it was teeming and on a higher platform stood different aliens all clad in a red military uniform.

"Welcome to the Association," one of the alien steps forward and shouts, "or rather, welcome to the Militia School. You guys have fifteen minutes to make groups of four." And then he steps back, sits down and smiles.

Sudden noise blasts into the ears of Kagura. She nearly tears up in pain before she steels down her determination and looks at the disoriented students, they stare at each other in confusion as the noise grows only louder. Saida watches her, brows furrowed but when she speaks Kagura does not hear anything in her mind— she hears her for real.

And she doesn't understand any words leaving Saida's mouth. Their _klips_ that's been translating for them so far were now unusable.


End file.
